Kiandes Zero: A cup of quality waste in a circular world

A zero-waste coffee cluster waste to create advanced bio-based and greener products with an export orientation from developing countries. Coffee is becoming increasingly popular nowadays, however, as an industry, it is one of the most unequal social and environmental unfriendly traded commodity in the world. 

Our venture manufactures and exports fair trade coffee under our brand Kiandes. We have developed an eco-innovative business cluster to implement zero waste manufacturing technologies. Kiandes Zero is an enabler of the circular economy for small-scale producers in the region that use coffee manufacturing waste to create advanced bio-based materials (e.g. plastics) and greener products using a circular value chain. This facilitates trade, strengthen supply chains and enhance the competitiveness of exportable products to shift to a low-carbon economy; decreasing the impact of coffee residues on the carbon footprint while improving product traceability in fair trade for consumers that support more ethical forms of consumerism.

80% of world production corresponds to the Arabica species that it is grown mainly in South and Central American. According to the Fairtrade Foundation, 25 million producers depend on coffee production for their daily living expenses and 2/3 of coffee producers across the region are not able to access to fair trade or green manufacturing practices that allow them to compete in foreign markets. For developing countries, the effects of climate change and the new environmental policies that are being implemented to decrease waste (plastic) and environmental footprint reduction recently applied on the targeted markets, had made it more difficult to meet the Sustainable Development Goal #12. Coffee producers are increasingly unable to compete on an equal footing and adapt to the new demands of the global market.

The conversion of coffee farming and manufacturing waste into new advanced materials on a circular value chain allows us to create technological solutions that can be offered to the small– scale coffee producers to improve the quality of the products, being an active part of a green supply chain and having a positive effect on the final customer that looks for the green attributes of coffee while decreasing waste on the final destinations. 

As we already trade coffee; we have worked along with the coffee grower’s associations from the Andean region in Quito.  We have conducted research-based seminars focus on the awareness, decision making and application of sustainable agriculture practices and food manufacturing (bio) processes concept for Ecuadorian farmers and we have performed workshops and managed research for the early detection of coffee rust, feedstock for bio-pesticides for cacao crops from agro-industrial waste and biological control as a tool for achieving sustainable pest and crops management systems.

One of our assessment methods is to visit several of the farms where the coffee is cultivated periodically, and also we run the laboratory tests of every batch of coffee that is processed. The amount of coffee waste is estimated and afterwards is collected to turn on bio-based composites and potential bioplastics that could be used for packaging or to replace other inputs in coffee consumptions culture (coffee cups, mixers, spoons). This is a remarkable step because under our recorded data, 78% of consumers aged 22-35 in the United Kingdom, prefer to spend more on a product or service with pertinent environmental certifications from clear/ethical sources and are willing to pay more to purchase them.

A cost-effective zero waste coffee with a simplified supply chain, through a business cluster that avoids the pass of the beans from growers to traders, processors to exporters, and finally from roasters to retailers. An eco-innovative cluster considers how to be more competitive in demanding markets but also can foster resource-efficient processes among their members by allowing them to take part in measure implementation projects towards waste valorization and development of bio-based products.

The rural development with employment opportunities can be achieved from biomass utilization to produce bioproducts such as biofuels and bioproducts. Our objective is developing moldable lignin‐based polymer compounds consisting of a pelletized and moldable mixture of thermoplastic lignin with natural fibres. This “liquid wood” product would show the advantages of wood material with facile moulding typical of synthetic thermoplastic. This delignification process is mediated by Deep eutectic solvents (DESs), which are new ‘green’ solvents with a low cost, low toxicity, biodegradability, easy recycling and reuse. The DESs apart of being used as plasticizer could even work as a liquid matrix to retain high-value building blocks for chemicals and advanced materials from coffee waste.

As a result, the new product development (NPD) would be a focus on developing products that can be part of the “coffee culture consumption” or corporate spin-offs for other industries especially focus on biopharmaceuticals, energy storage or carbon capture materials to decrease the carbon footprint of the coffee industry

Biobased materials for containers as a replace of plastic utensils and packaging will use as a main component a type of material that has not been previously exploited for this purpose (coffee husk, cherry pulp) which is a resource that is high in the region and is a waste from the manufacturing of another industry.

On the other hand, the product is based on the manufacturing concepts of “Smart products” which contemplates an efficient production line, with less energy consumption and resource optimization, as well as sustainable, ergonomic and functional that adapt to the needs of users who are looking for functional, natural and focused on the benefit of the environment.

These new products will have new features, attributes, improvements and benefits. Unlike traditional packaging, these will have a different colour and texture that will reflect that it is an ecological but sophisticated product in which not only the material is innovative but the design of disposable ones according to the current preferences of growing niches eco-friendly market and that after fulfilling its main function can be used for other purposes which are impossible to achieve with existing plastic products. It is also a by-product of a growing one hundred per cent natural market cultivated by local farmers under a collaborative project that includes Ecuadorian women farmers as part of the production process. It is also a product that within the circular economy is included as a zero waste product and with a low carbon footprint for its production.

During the last years we have had the opportunity of becoming part of several business accelerator and training programmes  interested in collaborative projects along with Ecuador, Latin America and the Caribbean area. 

We have been part of the following  programmes and have been invited to several coferences as speakers:

-  Space Industries Accelerator funded by the UK Space Agency and Leicester Start-up Accelerator.

- Research in Action Conference, May 2019 in Leicester, UK

- Going Global London Business Show, November 2018 in London, UK

- Leicester Business Festival, October 2018 in Leicester, UK

- Euro-Global and Expo Biomass, August 2016 in Birmingham, UK

- International Conference on Algal Biomass, Biofuels & Bioproducts, June 2014, New Mexico, USA

- First International Scientific Congress- National Institute for Renewable Energy (IIGE-INER), November 2013 in Quito, Ecuador

We have been working under fair trade along with three members of the "Artisanal Association of Producers and Trader" of  high-grown coffee “AAPROCNOP" from Pacto. We have collected data from one of these farms as a baseline model and to evaluate the traceability of our products after the cultivation, harvesting and especially to record the amount, composition and characteristics of the coffee processing waste. This year our objective is work with at least 10 members of these association which is formed by around of 80 small-scale producers from Nanegalito, Pacto and Gualea parishes, in the north-west of Quito City. Also, we are currently working on creating links to start trading and collecting data from Galapagos’ Islands coffee producers. In the next 5 years, we will be working along with at least 200 coffee producers from several regions across Ecuador, Latin America and the Caribbean, all of them organized in clusters that will be part of a fair trade system but also part of the eco-innovative initiative to use the waste to generate advanced bio-based materials under controlled conditions as a spin-off product of their own activity, especially if they are located in sensitive ecosystems like Galapagos Islands.

We will consider several metrics in accordance with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Circular Economy guidelines  considered for the implementation of this project:

kg/Lt of waste recover from the coffee cultivation, processing and packing across the value and supply chain.

kg CO2 per kg of produced under a coffee plastic reduction model with the final customers.

How many coffee farmers are included in the model to be part of the fair trade initiative?

How many disadvantaged women can be part of the coffee farming or participate in the production process / distribution of new products made from coffee residues?

kg/Lt of waste recover from the coffee cultivation, processing and packing transformed into new value-added products

Is the business model innovation for circular economy and/or sustainability applied an instrument to sustain small-scale farmers/companies’ competitive advantage?

Measure material flows in the whole circular chain from the cluster, is the carbon Ecological Footprint and Carbon Footprint reduced?

Does the consumption of primary materials (plastic for packaging) decrease in absolute terms?

Is the proportion of hazardous substances in products decreasing?

Are the primary materials (coffee and plastic packaging) processed more efficiently, optimizing the use of resources, materials and energy that are needed?

 Do materials retain their value? Considering how many coffee bags and other coffee consumptions supplies (coffee cups, mixers, etc.) undergo high-grade recycling.

Is this eco-innovative business cluster able to be applied to other agricultural export commodities and also able to generate spin-offs as a new source of income for developing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean?

Our initial objective is to develop the first zero waste coffee, so within the first year we seek to take advantage of agro-industrial waste for the creation of biodegradable materials and products of exportable quality that contribute to the sustainable development of Ecuador within a circular economy.
Our goal at 5 years is to become the heart of a network of clusters that is scalable, extensible, profitable, inclusive, technologically informed and innovative. Our goal is to solve basic business problems using a circular economy framework focused on the implementation of a "Zero Waste" development, processing and distribution system.

Ecuador and in general all of Latin America was in the world for the serious social manifestations that demanded political changes of the current administrations. This generates an image of instability and distrust for possible emerging opportunities.
At the local level, the main barrier is the absence of policies that improve cooperation between, state entities, and private companies. What we consider could be the key to the development of research and new startups.

The first barrier addressed is about the image of Ecuador towards the world, in this regard we started a brand recognition campaign in England. Our company has been building trust in the international market for 3 years and with the launch of new zero waste products we can position ourselves as an environmentally responsible company from Ecuador.
We trust that the second barrier is being overcome now and that we are part of an association (Anfab), which aims in the short term to generate a proposal for the creation of new policies in Ecuador for the development of business networks and circular economy .

Does not apply.

Marketing networks exist in Latin America since pre-Columbian times and the search for their activation in the actulity will improve the processes of agriculture and the preservation of the environment. Arousing social awareness helps the entire economy and is something that people value greatly abroad as can be seen in the constant increase of products with environmental and social responsibility certifications.

does not apply.

Position: Manager

Training: Msc. Management

Experience: 5 years in similar positions

Abilities: Leadership, Oriented to meet goals

Position: Head of Operations and Supplies

Training: Msc. Technical

Experience: 3 years

Abilities: Optimization, Quality

Position: Head of marketing and sales

Training: Msc. Business

Experience: 5 years in similar positions

Abilities: Customer Support

Position: Operator

Training: Practical courses

Experience: 1 year

Abilities: Working under pressure

We are two scientists with professional experience, multiple technical areas of expertise and also with knowledge of foreign trade. Alexandra will lead the technical innovation component since she has been part of the innovation programs and business accelerators for sustainable technologies and green enterprises. Sebastián has experience in manufacturing and industrial processes for the elaboration of food products. As a team, we created entrepreneurship in the United Kingdom in which we successfully placed Ecuadorian coffee in virtual stores and coffee shops.
Sebastián has experience in importing, installing and maintaining telecommunications equipment, as well as programming certifications in LINUX, Java, C ++, web design and Android systems and related courses in business administration reflected in the administration of his family business. As a professional experience, he has training in industrial food processes and HACCP approach (Critical control point for risk analysis).

Alexandra has extensive experience in the exploitation of biomass for the purpose of obtaining bioenergy and green chemistry as well as waste management and obtaining by-products from waste (algae, municipal solid waste, agriculture) including innovative materials for biopharmaceutical compounds recovery for cancer research from biomass and as an entrepreneur developing agro-business activities with coffee.

We are currently working along with the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries as strategic partners in Ecuador; Provincial Government of Pichincha; Coffee Growers Association of Quito AAPROCNOC, National Association of Food and Beverage Manufacturers, British Ecuadorian Chamber of Commerce, National Polytechnic School. Private companies such as: EcoGreen, HCGTrading, Skedio. In England, The University of Leicester and the University of York.

   Key Partners

• Suppliers.
• Institutions for technological development

Key Activities

• Advertising
• Participation in fairs
• Government support
• Energy efficient roasting systems

• Continuous reduction of waste.

• Organising plastic packaging collection centres

   Value proposal
• Product quality
• Waste Reduction

   Customer Relationship

Personalized attention through social networks, website, and our office in the United Kingdom.

  Customer Segment

• Man and Woman from 25 to 55 years with studies.
• They live in the city and work
• They use the social networks Facebook and Instagram daily on the cell phone.
• They are interested in environmental care, fair trade and recycling.

   Key Resources

• Network of strategic alliances
• Raw material

   Channels

• Electronic media
• Door to door visit in specialty coffee shops
• Sales to the final consumer
• Use of Vending Machines

The current industries grow and process food under a linear model: take - make - waste. For every dollar spent on food, society pays two in health, environmental, and economic costs, half of which - totalling $5.7 trillion - is due to the way food is currently produced.
Ecuador, like many other countries in Latin America a Carribean region, is uniquely positioned to spark a transformation towards a fundamentally different food system, in which food is grown regeneratively and locally where appropriate; the concept of ‘waste’ is designed out altogether, and healthier product options are the order of the day. As a plus, and as a entrepreneurs we have been working on practical approaches to migrating to a global circular economy model starting on the food industry, that will consider waste as a tool for the development of new technologies/products that can compete globally, while the concepts of fair trade and collaboration are crucial for our purposes. 

We are aligned with the IDB's development goals with our sustainable project, so there will be great environmental and social performance. The contest prize will be a great support to successfully achieve the proposed objectives.

It doesn't apply

National Composites Centre, England, UK

Solubag, Chile

Biofase, Mexico

Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, Scotland, UK

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), England, UK

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, UK